Grain-separator.



Nu. 659,976. Patented Oct. I6, 1900.

|F. M. KELLER.

GRAIN SEPARATOR. (Appncciof. med Apr. y 27, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 999,976. Patented out. le, |990.

F. M. KELLER.

GRAIN SEPARATUB.

(Application led Apr. 27, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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N0. 659,976. Patented Oct. I6, |900.

' F. M. KELLER.

GRAIN SEPAATDR.

(Application led Apr. 27, 1900.)

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters liatent No. 659,976, dated October 16, 1900.

Application led April 27, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, FREDERICK M. KELLER, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at York, in the county of York and'State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separators, of which the following` is a specification.

My invention relates to grain-separators; and one object of the same is to provide simple and Aefficient means for adjusting the concave toward and from the cylinder, back and forth under the cylinder, and laterally thereof, each adjustment being independent of the others.

Another object is to provide simple and eliicient means for making these adjustments quickly and reliably.

Still another object is to provide animproved conveyer for carrying the straw to the rear end of the machine.

I have also made provision for readily con- Vcrting the machine from av grain-separator and thresher to a thresher and cleaner for beans and peas.

l attain the objects referred to by means of the construction shown in the Vaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a grainseparator made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the front portion of the machine. Eig. 3 is a front view of the concave. Fig. 4 is a side view and partial sect-ion of the concave and cylinder. Fig. 5 is a partial end elevation of the concave and cylinder. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the concave.

Like numerals designate like parts in the different views of the drawings.

The working parts of the machine are mounted on a framework 1, supported upon wheels 2, and the concave 3 and threshing-cylinder 4 are sustained upon a supplemental frame bolted to the framework 1. The tray or hopper 5, upon which the straw is placed, is inclined toward the cylinder 4 and extends from one side of the machine to the other. The cylinder 4 is suitably journaled in the supplemental frame, and the shaft 6 of said cylinder projects outward and is provided with a pulley 7. Concentrically arranged in series around the cylinder are the spikes or `beaters 8.

Serial No. 14,581. (No model.)

The concave consists of two curved arms 9, pivoted at 10 to a sliding frame comprising the supports 11, which slide in guideways 12. The arms 9 of the concave have curved grooves 13 in their inner faces, and the concaves 14 slide in the grooves 13 and are held in adjusted position therein by bolts 15, provided with lock-nuts 16. The concaves 14 are provided with spikes 17, and as the concaves do not fit tightly in the grooves 13 the bolts 15 serve to adjust them laterally in order to regulate the distance between the spikes 17 and the beaters 8 on the cylinder 4, the lock-nuts 16 being used to hold the bolts when adjusted. The bolts pass through the curved arms 9 and extend into the grooves 13, where they engage the ends of the concaves 14. The front ends of arms 9 are provided with rack-teeth 18, and pinions 19, fixed to a squared shaft 20, journaled in the sliding supports 1l, mesh with the rackteeth. A handle 21 is secured at the outer end of shaft 20, and by moving this handle the concave is vertically adjusted relatively to the cylinder 4. A curved slot 22 is formed in the handle 21, and a set-screw 23 passes through the slot and engages an aperture in the side of the sliding support 11. By tightening the set-screw 23 the concave is held in vertically-adjusted position. The lower edges of the supports 11 slide upon brackets 12, bolted inside the supplemental frame, and at central points of said lower edges of the supports 11 rack-teeth 25 are formed. A square shaft 26, journaled in the supplemental frame, has affixed thereto the pinions 27, which mesh with the rack-teeth 25, and a handle or lever 28 on the end of the square shaft 26 serves to adjust the sliding supports and the concave back and forth under the cylinder for differ7 ent kinds of work to be done. The supplemental frame, which carries the cylinder and the concave, is entirely separable from the main framework of the machine, and the parts of this portion of the machine may be separately assembled and then bolted to the main frame. Aside from the matter of convenience in shipping, there are other advantages in this construction, such as saving time in assembling the parts, renewal of worn or broken parts, and adjustments. A graintight bottom 29 between the concaves and the IOO straw-carriers is connectedy at its front pend. to

. in the box or housing, nearthel front end, and

this reel consists of a series of radial arms 34, projecting outward from the hulos35` of the reels, Xed to the shaft 36. A pulley 37'on one end of the shaft 36 is connected by abelt to the pulley 7 on the cylindel-shaft 6. lThe straw-carrier may consist of two or more Iongitudinal sections 38 39, formed of stepped side pieces 40, having slats 41 secured thereto atsuch distances apart as will permit the grainV to drop through the'sections 3839 Of the carrier'. The carriages are suspended from the-crank-shafts 43 44. These. sectionsv are simultaneously oscillaced` in: opposite direc'- tions by'means of the'crank-shafts 4344, jour'- naled in the housing. 32 and having their crank portions 45 journaled in the' side pieces 40;` Un'derthe carrier is an inclined bottom- 46',.uponiwh=ich the grain falls as it'passes over the carrier. The bot-tom 46 is inclined towardthe front of the machine and is sustained bythe hangers42,Y and in front of th-isbott'omv isa tray 47, which inclin'es reversely towardthey rear end of the machine. At the rear end of the machine a vibra-ting screen or shaker isprovided, and this shaker comprisesa frame 48, having guideways 49, in which. isremovably fitted` a stepped. screen comprising; the y risers 50, secu red tothe side boardsl. Openings 52 are formedbetweeny the risers 50,(and a screen is secured in each opening 52,- and as the shaker is vibrated the graindrops from one riser toitheoth'er upon a screen 52a, a fany being used to force a blast of air through the openings 52 as the grain drops upon they risers. For some classes of work I may substitutean ordinary wire cloth screeni for the shaker shown. The fanv53 is journaled transversely in the frame and inclosed within a boXing 5 4. An eccentric 55. on the fan-shaft is connected by an arm 56 with the shaker-frame'43, and a pulley on said fan -shaft is connectedY by a belt to thepulley on the cylinder shaftr The straw-carrier is operatedby aconnecting-rod 57, extending from the driving-shaft 58,d riven by the belt 59 from any suitable motor.

The operationof the machine'is as follows: The straw to be threshed is placed in the tray? or hopper at the front end-of the machine, l

the cylinder `carrying it down into the concave, Wherev the grain is separated from the being carried to the'rear.

upon the bottom underlthe carrier and from thence upon the tray it slides down and falls .upon thejV screen, Where 4it isl thoroughly cleaned by the blast of air from the fan and Hfed to the discharge-spout.

Whenever it is desired to adjust the con- `rcave with relation to the'cylinder, this may lbe doneby theuse of the bolts and look-nuts if a lateral adjustment is necessary. By op- Ierating theV handles 2l or 2S a vertical or a xlongitudinal' adjustment of the concave may -be--readily accomplished, and those adjustments. are very desirable on a machine designed for operation on all kinds and conditi'ons ofv grain andfor peas and beans.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that j my machine is comparatively simple in conp struction and' can be readily adj usted for dif- 1 ferenty classes of work and is thorough and efcien-t in operation.

Certain changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a grain-separator, a threshing-cylinder, a concave below the cylinder, said concave comprising` curved arms hinged at one end to a horizontally-sliding frame, curved grooves in the arms, concaves seated in the grooves, and means for adjusting the concaves laterally and vertically, and means for adjusting the sliding frame back and forth under the cylinder, substantially as described.

der, a concave below the cylinder, said concave comprising curved arms hinged to a hori- Zontally-sliding frame, curved grooves in the arms, concaves seated in the grooves, bolts passing through the arms for engaging the endsy of the concaves, lock-nuts on the bolts, pinionsV engaging rack-teeth on the ends of thecurved arms, for adjusting the concave vertically, and teeth on the edge of the sliding frame engaged by pinions for adjusting said frame and concave back and forth under the cylinder, substantially as described.

3. In a grain-separator, a threshing-cylinder, journaled to revolve in a supplemental frame detachable from the main frame of the separator, a concave pivoted to a sliding frame fitted to guideways in the supplemen- :tal frame, and means for adjusting the con- ;cavelaterally, vertically and longitudinally,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set rmy vhand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK M. KELLER.

Witnesses WM. A. MILLER,

G. W BILLINGER.

2.. In a grain-separator, a threshing-cyliny IIO 

